Terence Crawford was stripped of his IBF welterweight title for failing to face mandatory challenger Jaron “Boots” Ennis, signaling the end of his short-lived reign as undisputed welterweight champion with zero title defenses. ESPN reports that Ennis has already been crowned as the new welterweight champion in the IBF’s updated ratings.
Although Crawford remains the WBA, WBC, and WBO welterweight champion, losing the IBF title puts a dent in his reign. After winning July’s match against Errol Spence Jr., Crawford was ordered to face Ennis, but he was contractually obligated to give Spence a rematch first.
The IBF, however, does not recognize rematch clauses as an excuse for avoiding a mandatory challenger, prompting them to strip Crawford of the title and award it to Ennis, a 26-year-old boxer with an impressive 31-0 record and 28 knockouts.
While Crawford and Spence have yet to schedule their rematch, Ennis poses as a potential next opponent for the winner. It’s reported that a rematch date is being planned for February, but whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
